PROVIDENCE – The R.I. Department of Children, Youth & Families is slated to receive a $4 million expansion grant over the next four years from the Federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration for its system of care implementation.

The grant, announced Tuesday, will support the roll out of DCYF’s new Networks of Care, which ensures that children and youth receive evidence-based interventions in the least restrictive community settings.

“Building on the hard work of our dedicated staff, this grant will allow the emerging system of care to provide each child and youth with proven, evidence-based approaches in community settings,” DCYF Director Janice DeFrances said in prepared remarks. “Each child and youth will have an individualized plan that wraps customized clinical and support services around him or her and the family to improve outcomes and ensure successful transition to adulthood.”

The funding will help reduce the amount of time children and youth spend in out-of-home placement; diversify the workforce serving youth, children and families to support culturally responsive care; improve screening assessment and treatment for children/youth with emotional disturbances; and assist in youth transitioning to adulthood.

In addition, the expansion grant will support: updating the management information system to provide data for effective operations, provide resources to enhance continuous quality improvement within DCYF, enhance capacity to analyze cost data and ensure efficiency, and support robust participation from a range of family and grass roots agencies.

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